Macbeth (2015) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error With Prime Video WATCH NOW Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself. Director: "No Small Parts" IMDb Exclusive: 'Edge of Seventeen' Star Hailee Steinfeld Hailee Steinfeld has received critical acclaim for her role in the coming-of-age comedy The Edge of Seventeen . What other roles has she played over the years? Don't miss our live coverage of the Golden Globes beginning at 4 p.m. PST on Jan. 8 in our Golden Globes section.

a list of 41 titles created 02 Jan 2015 a list of 45 titles created 07 Apr 2015 a list of 30 titles created 07 Nov 2015 a list of 27 titles created 02 Jan 2016 a list of 38 titles created 10 months ago Search for " Macbeth " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 2 wins & 19 nominations. See more awards » Videos Edit Storyline Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself. All hail Macbeth that shall be king See more » Genres: Rated R for strong violence and brief sexuality | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 11 December 2015 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Did You Know?

Trivia Michael Fassbender and Sean Harris have previously starred together in Wedding Belles (2007) and Prometheus (2012). After Macbeth, they also co-starred in Trespass Against Us (2016). See more » Goofs When Macbeth placed the dagger on the young warrior's chest, he places the dead man's hand on top of the blade. In the next shot, the dead man's hand is rested on his chest - below the knife. See more » Quotes (Sydney, Australia) – See all my reviews The world of William Shakespeare can be a tricky road to navigate, especially if you are not educated in his tediously difficult language that arrogantly lies in waiting, sprawled across the pages of his many plays. If you are neither a Thespian or English Literature Graduate (which I am clearly not), you will struggle to understand the famous playwrights narrative. It just might be easier to learn French or German at the local community college than it is to painfully study what Shakespeare is actually trying to say.

I have seen just a handful of the Elizabethan era writers work; the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar and the very puzzling comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Each time I came away scratching my head, my feeble brain trying its best to piece together the events that had actually taken place. Through all the confusion, I still found myself enjoying the fragments of dialogue and story that made sense to me. This is why I was drawn to another of Shakespeare's great tragedies, even though I knew I would be sitting through nearly two hours of theatre without the use of subtitles. Macbeth is a well known story of ambition, murder, rage and tyranny but what I was looking for in Justin Kurzel's interpretation was a connection that an uneducated sloth like myself could get from a tale that had four hundred years of retelling. I wanted to feel the characters emotions and I wanted to visualise their world. I wanted to be able to identify Macbeth's tragic blind ambition and lust for power. More importantly, I wanted a tangible belief in the story being presented to me. Kurzel knows his audience well because he has directed one of the greatest Shakespearean plays ever put onto film.

The brutal and bloody world that Kurzel has visioned, creates an authentic and powerful atmosphere that never deserts the viewer, allowing the famous story to illustrate itself effortlessly across the screen. Half the battle is won. Accompanied by an outstandingly appropriate score sets the scene for a film that would not look out of place amongst the very best movie releases this year. The eerie and sombre acoustics help keep the audience fixed to their seats as the savage tragedy of Macbeth unfolds in all its brutal glory. Michael Fassbender (Macbeth), plays the character to perfection and it is his performance alone that makes it easier for the common man to understand Shakespeare's historic language. Fassbender is thoroughly engaged in his role and every word he delivers oozes emotion. Marion Cotillard is equally impressive as the conniving Lady Macbeth. Cotillard was an interesting choice to play the femme fatal, but she has proved here that she can rise to any challenge. This performance is a very colourful feather in a exceptional cap. Her Lady Macbeth helped me to realise that she became somewhat of a victim to the King she had created.

"What is done, is done." I am quite sure that she didn't envisage her warrior husband to become the tyrant that he became. Adding to the list of superb performances is Sean Harris, the vengeful and savage Macduff, who is hell bent on ending Macbeth's reign as the Scottish Monarch. Great little cameos by David Thewlis (King Duncan) and Elisabeth Debicki (Lady Macduff), along with brilliant visionary direction by Justin Kurzel will give the uneducated hordes a chance to witness one of Shakespeare's masterpieces. 44 of 75 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes Phone: (646) 862-3400; Fax: (917) 368-7000 Website: Content: (B, C, O, L, VVV, S, N, A, M) Light moral worldview, with some Christian references and prayers, in a dull movie version of a famous play that fails to capture the play’s dramatic structure and moral premise, with some occult content where witches give misleading prophecies, and man hallucinates that he sees the ghost of a man he had two henchmen murder; four “d” obscenities; strong and some very strong violence with some blood includes battle scenes, sleeping man is murdered by having his throat slit, woman and her children are burnt at the stake, people pierced by arrows, boy runs from assassins and survives, sword fighting, and man murders two guards to cover up another murder; a sex scene between married couple, mostly implied, plus one or two other scenes of husband and wife kissing; upper male nudity; brief alcohol use; no smoking or drugs; and, greed and ambition.

Summary: MACBETH is a new version of the tragedy by William Shakespeare, with Michael Fassbinder playing the bloodthirsty Scottish general and Marion Cotillard playing his ambitious, troubled wife. Marion Cotillard gives a compelling performance as Lady Macbeth, but this filmed version is so somber, with such a terrible musical soundtrack and a dull performance by Fassbinder, that it’s hard to get emotionally involved with the title’s character’s tragic journey. Review: MACBETH is a new version of the tragedy by William Shakespeare, with Michael Fassbender playing the bloodthirsty Scottish general and Marion Cotillard playing his ambitious, troubled wife. Marion Cotillard gives a compelling performance as Lady Macbeth, but this filmed version is so somber, with such a terrible musical soundtrack and a dull performance by Fassbender, that it’s hard to get emotionally involved with the title’s character’s tragic journey. The movie made MOVIEGUIDE®’s reviewer want to get up on the screen at one point and show Fassbinder how the role should be played. This MACBETH opens with the death of Lady Macbeth’s and the general’s young son.

Shortly thereafter, Macbeth is on the battlefield, where he gets the message from the three witches that he will soon be Thane of Cawdor and “King hereafter.” Meanwhile, his right-hand man and friend, Banquo, learns he will be the father of kings. When Lady Macbeth hears the prophecy, she convinces Macbeth to kill King Duncan, partly because Duncan and his son, Malcolm, may begin to see Macbeth as a threat. So, Macbeth murders Duncan while Duncan sleeps and frames Duncan’s two guards. The next morning, when Duncan’s murdered body is found, he kills the two guards in a fit of fake rage before they can defend themselves. Naturally, Malcolm, in fear of his life, flees to London. Macbeth next turns his bloodthirsty attention to his friend, Banquo, now seeing Banquo and Banquo’s son as a rival to his rule. Macbeth also becomes suspicious of Macduff, who’s loyal to Malcolm. Macbeth’s bloodthirsty ambition drives him, and Lady Macbeth, into madness and, eventually, despair. MACBETH seems to pay little attention to the dramatic structure of the original play.

Marion Cotillard gives a compelling performance as Lady Macbeth. However, this filmed version is so somber throughout, with such a terrible musical soundtrack and a dull performance by Fassbender, that it’s hard to get emotionally involved with the title’s character’s tragic journey. This dilutes the dramatic and moral force of this MACBETH. Except in the mouth of Miss Cotillard, Shakesepare’s language seldom soars here. Thus, by the time the third act arrives, MOVIEGUIDE® was feeling relief that this particular movie version of Shakespeare would soon be over. In Brief: MACBETH is a movie version of Shakespeare’s tragedy, with Michael Fassbender playing the bloodthirsty Scottish general and Marion Cotillard playing his ambitious, troubled wife. This MACBETH opens with the death of Lady Macbeth’s and the general’s young son. Shortly, Macbeth is on the battlefield, where he gets the message from the three witches that he will soon be Thane of Cawdor and “King hereafter.” Meanwhile, his right-hand man and friend, Banquo, learns he will be the father of kings.

Seeing the first part of the prophecy come true, Lady Macbeth urges her husband to murder King Duncan and blame it on Duncan’s guards. Once named King, Macbeth decides he must murder even more people to remain on the throne. MACBETH seems to pay little attention to the dramatic structure of the play. Marion Cotillard gives a compelling performance as Lady Macbeth. However, this filmed version is so somber throughout, with such a terrible musical soundtrack and a dull performance by Fassbender, that it’s hard to get emotionally involved with the title’s character’s tragic journey. This dilutes the dramatic and moral force of this MACBETH. Who's Your Favourite Macbeth? Who's Your Favourite Macbeth? Updated: 19 October 2016 Justin Kurzel’s 2015 Macbeth film stars Michael Fassbender in the lead role of the Scottish general consumed by ambition and egged on to kill the king by his ruthless wife (Marion Cotillard). Which Thane of Cawdor gets your vote?

Ian McKellen | © BBC Ian McKellen The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 1976 production of Macbeth directed by Trevor Nunn went down in theatre history as a startling pieces of theatre. This was down to the acting of McKellen, who gave an outstanding performance of the murderously ambitious Macbeth, and Judi Dench, who played a blood-chilling Lady Macbeth. McKellen’s highly praised rendition of Macbeth put emphasis on the protagonist’s madness as he foamed at the mouth and talked to invisible ghosts. Kenneth Branagh | © NTL Kenneth Branagh The 2013 stage production of the Scottish Play directed by Rob Ashford for the Manchester International Festival and screened live by the National Theatre saw Branagh give an electrifying performance as the thane, alongside Alex Kingston as Lady Macbeth. In his first Shakespeare performance in over a decade, the BAFTA-award-winning actor gave a convincing rendition of the treachery and ambition at the heart of Shakespeare’s play, enacted within the walls of a Manchester church. James McAvoy | © Trafalgar Studios James McAvoy There’s no doubt the Scot McAvoy was born to play Macbeth; in fact, he’s played him twice.

His first on-screen incarnation – in the BBC’s 2005 update – was as an over-ambitious sous-chef in a three Michelin star restaurant. In 2013, he appeared in the highly praised Trafalgar Studios production, which evoked a post-apocalyptic Scotland facing an environmental catastrophe. Orson Welles © Movie Poster Database Orson Welles Welles wrote the screenplay, directed, and played the title role in his 1948 Macbeth. Though hampered by budget restraints and a three-week shooting schedule, he re-created a nightmarish world in which Macbeth is the victim of his raw and primitive emotions. Patrick Stewart | © RSC Patrick Stewart The 2010 BBC production, which starred Patrick Stewart, evokes the atmosphere of the Soviet Union under Stalin. Stewart is terrifying as he bestrides this claustrophobic, paranoid world. Alan Cumming When Scottish-American actor Alan Cumming appeared in a daring one-man adaptation of Macbeth, he attacked the part with mesmerising gusto. Set inside a sinister psychiatric unit, it had Cumming relive the story by playing each of the roles himself as he’s watched by surveillance cameras.

After its run at Lincoln Center, the production went on to a 73-show Broadway stint at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 2013. Toshiro Washizu Though war-torn Japan isn’t a conventional backdrop for Macbeth, Akira Kurosawa’s 1957 Throne of Blood is regarded by many critics as one of the finest film adaptations of the play. Transposing the traditional Scottish setting to a fog-cloaked landscape in feudal Japan, Kurosawa cast Toshiro Washizu as a hardened warrior who rises to power with savage vigour. Jon Finch | © Columbia Pictures Jon Finch Former SAS man-turned-actor Finch gave one of his finest performances as Macbeth in Roman Polanski’s 1971 film. While the violence and nudity of Polanski’s version may have startled the audiences at the time, its unsettling tone and Finch’s performance were undeniably compelling. Francesca Annis played Lady Macbeth. Peter O’Toole The 1980 production of Macbeth at the Old Vic in London that starred O’Toole earned him widespread reproach for his decision to play the title role with too much humor and flamboyance.

Critics dubbed his performance “Macdeath” and “Macflop”. Michael Fassbender & Natalie Portman Attached to New Macbeth Adaptation [UPDATED] Michael Fassbender & Natalie Portman Attached to New Macbeth Adaptation [UPDATED] Share Comment William Shakespeare’s bloody tragedy Macbeth has been adapted countless times for both the stage and the screen – the most recent cinematic example being Rupert Goold’s filmed version of his stage production, which starred Patrick Stewart in the title role. Another notable recent example is Geoffrey Wright’s modern-day Australian gangster reinterpretation of the story, in which Sam Worthington played an underboss who usurps the “throne” of a Melbourne crime boss. A new contender for the crown of Scotland is about to arrive, however, as Michael Fassbender is reportedly attached to play the lead in a new adaptation of Macbeth, which will be directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) from a script by Toss Louiso and Jacob Koskoff. Though there aren’t any concrete details at the moment as to who will be playing Fassbender’s counterpart, Lady Macbeth, the ScreenDaily article reports that “at least one Hollywood leading actress” is in talks for the role.

[UPDATE: ScreenDaily has revealed that the leading Hollywood actress they were referring to is Natalie Portman, and she’s now signed on to play Lady Macbeth.] The film is being produced by See Saw Films, the production company behind Steve McQueen’s sex addiction drama Shame , which also starred Fassbender in the lead role; they also did Tom Hooper’s King George VI biopic The King’s Speech , which won four Oscars and was nominated for eight more. Fassbender is currently filming X-Men: Days of Future Past and is also attached to play Thomas Wolfe in Max Perkins’ biopic, Genius. Rumors surrounding a possible reprisal of his role in Prometheus for Ridley Scott’s sequel are also developing as the director casts his net out for a new writer. The actor has also started up his own production company, DMC Films, through which he will be producing and starring in an adaptation of popular video game franchise Assassin’s Creed . News has gone a little quiet on this front since writer Michael Lesslie was brought on to write the screenplay a few months ago, and a lot is riding on Assassin’s Creed getting off the ground and into production.

The film will mark the feature debut of both DMC films and Ubisoft Motion Pictures – and at a press junket last year , Fassbender said that managing to successfully produce something through his new company was part of the reason for taking time off acting: “I really wanted to make DMC, my production company, really work as opposed to just an idea and you’ve got to put a lot of time into that. So I really did focus energies in that, working with writers, finding the writers, and so now I go back to acting again.” Macbeth is expected to begin filming towards the end of this year, and the script is described as taking a “visceral” approach, particularly to the battle scenes, making it potentially comparable to Ralph Fiennes’ recent modern adaptation of Coriolanus . Fassbender’s involvement alone is enough to make this new version of a very old story worth watching, and apparently the script was sought after eagerly by several different sales outfits at Cannes before finally being picked up by See Saw and Film4. ——— Macbeth doesn’t have a release date yet, though based on the production schedule it’s lilely to arrive in late 2014/early 2015.

We’ll keep you updated as the project develops. The 10 Best Lady Macbeths Of Stage And Screen The 10 Best Lady Macbeths Of Stage And Screen Marcelina Morfin Updated: 13 October 2016 There have been many versions and adaptations of Shakespeare’s Macbeth throughout the years, with many actresses taking on the role of Lady Macbeth – quite possibly one of the most coveted and most difficult roles in the play. The following ten stars have each created a memorable Lady. From the 18th century through present day, here are some of the great Lady Macbeths in theatre, television, and film. Robert Smirke, Sarah Siddons as Lady Macbeth, c. 1790-1810 | WikiCommons Sarah Siddons Born in Wales in 1755, Sarah Siddons was a famous tragedienne. In the late 1700s, Siddons played Lady Macbeth for the first time, captivating audiences with her emotional and intense performance. Indeed, she became famous for her Lady Macbeth — which she played at various times over the next four decades —, making the character her own.

Siddons retired from the stage in 1812, after one last performance in Macbeth. Franz von Lenbach, Sarah Bernhardt as Lady Macbeth, 1892 | WikiCommons Sarah Bernhardt The great French stage and early film actress Sarah Bernhardt played the coveted role of Lady Macbeth in 1884. Her portrayal was different from previous versions. Bernhardt brought a dominant, femme fatale quality to the role, and she designed costumes that would hug her body, showing off her shape and enhancing her seductiveness. Not everyone liked her Lady Macbeth, because it was different and deemed too erotic. However, many theatergoers embraced it — it was a modern take on the character. John Singer Sargent, Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth, 1889 | WikiCommons Ellen Terry A leading Shakespearean actress of her time, Dame Ellen Terry played the role of Lady Macbeth in an 1888 production. Unlike previous, passionate portrayals of this character, Terry took a risk and played her as being ‘domestic and practical,’ typical of the Victorian ideal of what a wife should be.

Upon seeing her performance on opening night, John Singer Sargent was inspired to paint a portrait of Terry in her stunning costume — a blue and green gown embellished with iridescent beetle wings — and did so in Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth . Judith Anderson Like Sarah Siddons, Dame Judith Anderson was known for her portrayal of Lady Macbeth. Australian -born, Anderson played the character several times throughout her career. She first took on the role in a 1937 London production; her second performance saw her playing the character in New York City in 1941. She also filmed two television versions, once in 1954 and again in 1960; she won an Emmy each time. Her portrayals of Lady Macbeth were, indeed, memorable ones. Isuzu Yamada While not an exact version, Throne of Blood is a 1957 Japanese film heavily inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Taking place in feudal Japan , Macbeth is known in the film as Taketoki Washizu and Lady Macbeth is Lady Asaji Washizu, played Isuzu Yamada . In the manner of Noh theatre, Yamada used her body movements to express her emotions in a riveting performance.

Indeed, film critic Pauline Kael said of Yamada’s performance, ‘there may never be a more chilling Lady Macbeth.’ Judi Dench The year of 1976 saw one of the most ‘unforgettable’ productions of Macbeth. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production , directed by Trevor Nunn, featured Sir Ian McKellen as Macbeth and Dame Judi Dench in a stripped-down production — there was minimal stage setting. This type of setting allowed Dench’s acting to shine, making her Lady Macbeth one of her most incredible performances ever, terrifying many who watched. Indeed, her portrayal of the character was deemed one of the best and earned Dench a Laurence Olivier Award in 1977. Jane Lapotaire A British actress, Jane Lapotaire played Lady Macbeth in 1983 when the BBC made a series called ‘ The Shakespeare Plays ,’ which set out to film all of Shakespeare’s works for television audiences. This particular production was another lean showing with no fancy frills or spins on the story, allowing it to stay truer to Shakespeare’s version of Macbeth.

Lapotaire was described in The New York Times as an ‘edgy creature’ who performed her role with intensity. Kate Fleetwood Playing one half of the murderous Macbeths, with Sir Patrick Stewart in the title role, Kate Fleetwood was a bit intimidated when first given the role of Lady Macbeth in this Stalinist-inspired production . However, there was no need as she played this role — a ‘trophy wife’ in this incarnation — as ‘pure evil,’ captivating audiences wherever the play was performed, including London’s West End and New York City ‘s Broadway. Indeed, Fleetwood was nominated for a Tony in 2008 for her stellar performance. Alex Kingston Alex Kingston , a British actress known for her roles on E.R. and Doctor Who, starred alongside Sir Kenneth Branagh in a visually stunning 2013 stage production of Macbeth, which was very well received. Kingston – who received rave reviews from critics and theatergoers alike for her believable performance – played Lady Macbeth as a strong, power-hungry, manipulative character. The Scottish Play proved so popular at the Manchester International Festival that a limited-run was produced in NYC as well.

Marion Cotillard In the most recent adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth , with Michael Fassbender in the title role, French actress Marion Cotillard plays Lady Macbeth. Some critics called Cotillard’s casting a ‘bold’ and surprising choice, but after seeing the film, they say she is convincing in the role. While the film has not yet been released everywhere, great reviews are already being given to the Academy Award-winning actress for her portrayal of the scheming wife who, in this film, is grieving from the get-go. ‘Macbeth’ International Trailer: O, Full of Scorpions is My Mind ‘Macbeth’ International Trailer: O, Full of Scorpions is My Mind Share Comment Of all the plays penned by William Shakespeare, there is one so infamously dark that even speaking its name inside a theater is considered to be bad luck. Now Justin Kurzel, director of grim true-life drama Snowtown, is offering his own take on Macbeth in a new adaptation starring Michael Fassbender ( X-Men: Days of Future Past ) as Lord Macbeth and Marion Cotillard ( The Dark Knight Rises ) as Lady Macbeth.

Set in 11th century Scotland, the film tells the tale of the ambitious and ill-fated Macbeth as he receives a prophecy from three witches informing him that he will one day be king, and with the encouragement of his power-hungry wife decides to slay King Duncan (David Thewlis) and take the throne for himself. It isn’t long, however, before the gruesome origins of Macbeth’s reign start to take a psychological toll on the new king, and the rest of the witches’ prophecy catches up with him. Macbeth‘s production took place in various locations across England and Scotland, and the new international teaser trailer demonstrates that the cast will be using Scottish accents and Shakespeare’s original lines. The cast also includes Sean Harris, Elizabeth DeBicki, Jack Reynor and Paddy Considine. Macbeth debuted at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year to a swathe of positive reviews that praised Kurzel’s directing, the central cast, and the film’s powerful cinematography.

Kurzel, Fassbender and Cotillard will team up once again for Assassin’s Creed , an adaptation of the historical science fiction video game series of the same name, which Fassbender is producing and starring in and is set to begin filming later this year . Among the more famous movie adaptations of Macbeth are Roman Polanski’s 1971 version, in which Jon Finch played the title role, and Orson Welles’ 1948 film that starred Welles himself as the Thane of Cawdor. It’s been quite a long time since either of those films came out, however, so there’s plenty of room for Kurzel to make his mark with this new retelling of the story. This is a very promising trailer featuring some striking shots and excellent period costumes from Oscar-winning designer Jacqueline Durran ( Anna Karenina ). Whether you love the play, love the cast, or just want an idea of what Assassin’s Creed might look like, Macbeth definitely looks like it could be one of 2015’s must-watch films. Macbeth will open in UK theaters on October 2nd, 2015, but does not yet have a US release date.

Are these the 10 best Shakespeare screen adaptations? | Stage | The Guardian Mark Lawson's Theatre studies Are these the 10 best Shakespeare screen adaptations? Macbeth, starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, joins Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet and Orson Welles’s Chimes at Midnight in my top 10 films based on the Stratford playwright’s works Clockwise from top left: Coriolanus (2011); Julius Caesar (1953); Macbeth (2015); The Tempest (2010). Share on Messenger Close Promoting its review of the new movie version of Macbeth , the Daily Telegraph asked, on its front page: “Has Shakespeare ever been better on the big screen?” Such a question is clearly intended to provoke a response, and the gist of mine, revealed in the personal Top 10 below, would be: yes, but not very often.

In the arbitrary rules to which such surveys are prone, I have decided that a play can only be represented once (which turns out to be especially foul and unfair for Macbeth) and that directors are restricted to a single entry, in order to prevent the list being dominated by multiple cinematic Bardists such as Kenneth Branagh , Julie Taymor , Orson Welles and Laurence Olivier , although the last has the bigger problem of having been omitted completely. Pinterest Macbeth (2015) I appreciate that this decision is controversial but my conclusion, after literally re-viewing the work, is that Olivier’s filmed Shakespeares have suffered from either changes in taste – which now rightly questions white actors making up for Othello – or by a subsequent superior piece: Branagh, though sometimes criticised for shadowing Olivier’s career, overshadowed him with movies of both Hamlet and Henry V. The endurance of Shakespeare in theatre is mainly attributable to the magnificence of his language and the talent-defining roles offered to performers.

But while the latter factor also applies to the cinematic versions – the desire of actors to record great stage roles is one reason that the shows have been filmed so often – the poetic speech can become problematic on screen, with the success of movie versions greatly depending on how they deal with the verse and soliloquies. Conversely, though, the playwright’s structural decisions anticipated by three centuries many standard elements of film’s visual grammar – such as cross-cutting and location-hopping – and the Stratford dramatist’s frequent use of 17th-century special effects, such as ghosts and magic, has become progressively more appealing to a medium which, through digital technology, is ever more suited to illusion. After which prologue, comes the countdown. 10. The Tempest (2010) Among the visualisations of the island-exiled magician Prospero, I struggled to separate two finalists. In his magnificently wacky 1979 punk version, Derek Jarman applied casting (poet Heathcote Williams, singer Toyah Willcox) and soundtrack (Stormy Weather) unlikely to be found at the National Theatre, at least at that time.

In contrast, Taymor made only one radical alteration for the 2010 version – Prospero becoming Prospera, played by Helen Mirren – otherwise offering a classically well-spoken and artily filmed account of the play which showcases Mirren’s vocal colours and Taymor’s visual panache and places it above the director’s other Shakespeare-based works, Titus (1999) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2014). 9. Othello (2001) With the screen portrayals of the persecuted moor of Venice by Olivier (1965), Welles (1952) and Anthony Hopkins (1981), all disqualified by my law against cosmetic assistance, the bench-mark for naturalistic Othellos was Laurence Fishburne, opposite Kenneth Branagh as the scheming lieutenant Iago, in Oliver Parker’s Othello (1995).

But, while that is the strongest account of the recognised text, the themes and implications of the play are most powerfully expressed for me in two modern-day updates both first seen in 2001: the Hollywood teen-flick O, which shifts the action to a high-school basketball team, and an adaptation made for ITV television under the original title, scripted by Andrew Davies. In the latter, Commander Othello is the first black leader of the London police force and Iago the frustrated deputy who connives against the boss and his wife, Desdemona. Powerfully acted by Eamonn Walker, Christopher Eccleston and Keeley Hawes, this is the Othello that most makes the play live for today . Pinterest 8. Julius Caesar (1953) US actors often draw a blank with iambic pentameters (with the recent exception of Kevin Spacey on stage) but Marlon Brando , in the days when he was still taking acting seriously, is an impressive Mark Antony in Joseph Mankiewicz’s vision of the Shakespeare work that has always spoken powerfully to the US, thanks to that country’s history of assassinations.

A bonus is that the cast also includes John Gielgud as Cassius and James Mason as Brutus. 7. Chimes at Midnight (1965) Although vulnerable to a stewards’ inquiry from purists on the grounds that it is not a Shakespeare play as such, Orson Welles’s anthology of scenes from four plays featuring Sir John Falstaff, with himself as the gluttonous knight, achieves the unlikely paradox of being a scholarly romp. It just edges, in the specialised category of history play mashups, The Hollow Crown (2012), the BBC’s medley of the Henries and Richards, with Simon Russell Beale a tremendous Falstaff. Pinterest 6. Coriolanus (2011) The recent popularity of filmed Shakespeare has been encouraged by the prevalence of English classic actors who also have Hollywood heft: Branagh, Mirren, Ian McKellen and, in this case, Ralph Fiennes , who chose to make his movie-directing debut by filming himself in a version of a play (WS’s second-best Roman political tragedy after Julius Caesar) in which he had appeared on stage.

Cannily adapted by screenwriter John Logan, this Coriolanus, set in a present-day Italian state, is spoken with great clarity by a cast that also includes Vanessa Redgrave, and the battles are viscerally thrilling, with the presence of Gerard Butler from the 300 franchise acknowledging that the more combative plays in the canon may draw in some action-movie 15-24 audiences. The 10 best modern takes on Shakespeare – in pictures Read more 5. Macbeth (2015) In answer to the Telegraph question: not, in my opinion, the best filmed Shakespeare ever, but impressively straight in at No 5 on release. While the war sequences nod vigorously (as with No 6) to the blood-thirsty younger audience, director Justin Kurzel also intelligently develops themes in the text of bereavement, trauma and faith, although relocating several interior scenes outdoors in order to show off the Scottish landscape. Michael Fassbender’s Macbeth achieves the perfect combination of clout and doubt, while Marion Cotillard is clear and moving despite the decision to downgrade the role of Lady Macbeth, possibly from a misguided fear of perpetuating a stereotype of the controlling wife.

Though last to the party, this account easily takes the prize from the Orson Welles version of 1948 and Roman Polanski’s splatter-movie adaptation of 1971. 4. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Super-purists might object to the inclusion of projects that replace the original text and even the title with contemporary language. This Gil Junger romcom, though, is a brilliantly original re-imagining of The Taming of The Shrew, as Heath Ledger’s Patrick Verona reluctantly woos the Kat Stratford of Julia Stiles in a story that miraculously transfers to a US high school the courtship conventions and contests of the original. Pinterest 3. Hamlet (1996) Teachers and students of A-level English must annually give thanks to Branagh for a screen Hamlet that is unusually complete (justifying its four-hour length) and delivers narrative and language with immaculate classical clarity, not least in the director’s own handsome, haunted performance in the title role.

Able to call in favours from all parts of the showbiz spectrum, Branagh casts actors you might expect (Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench) alongside many you wouldn’t: Jack Lemmon, Robin Williams, Ken Dodd. The great US novelist John Updike credited this film with inspiring his Elsinore-sequel novel, Gertrude and Claudius. 2. Romeo and Juliet (1996) Among productions that modernise the setting but preserve the original words, Joss Whedon’s low-budget Much Ado About Nothing (2012) is easily beaten in the final runoff by Baz Luhrmann ’s invigorating shifting of the story of the Montagues and Capulets to the gang wars of Venice Beach, California. It can be argued that the Australian director had the advantages of a recognisable cinematic genre (teen tragedy) and the example of West Side Story, but his consistent finding of plausible modern interpretations for both story and speech manages to be simultaneously radical and respectful. Pinterest 1.

King Lear (1971) The biggest loser from the stipulation that each play is represented only once is Akira Kurosawa, whose 1985 film Ran enthrallingly exported King Lear to the world of Japanese warlords. However, the clear victor in this category – and the whole competition – is Peter Brook’s magnificent black-and-white film adaptation of his 1962 RSC staging, with Paul Scofield as the king whose regime is ended by Daughtergate. Nine years closer to Lear’s likely real age than when he played the role on stage at 40, Scofield brings a musicality and depth of meaning to every line and also scores points between the words with scorched or scorching glances and grimaces. Fassbender, in the new Macbeth, looks to have learned from Scofield’s stillness and chilly diction.

The best Shakespeare adaptations The best Shakespeare adaptations Feature The Bard's leading men: Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet, Ralph Fiennes as Coriolanus, Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo and Michael Fassbender as Macbeth Title Macbeth Title Foreign Title Foreign Title Star Rating 5 Telegraph Star Rating Actors Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Sean Harris, David Thewlis, Paddy Considine, Jack Reynor, Elizabeth Debicki Actors Director Justin Kurzel Director Genre Drama, History Genre Synopsis Macbeth, a duke of Scotland, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself. Synopsis Release Date 02-10-2015 Release Date Duration 113 mins Duration Rating 15 Rating Country UK, France, USA Country 18 September 2015 • 2:30pm In the brilliant new adaptation of Macbeth, Michael Fassbender gives an outstanding performance in the main role.

Stuart Kemp considers previous great Macbeths and other fine Shakespeare films Critical acclaim for Justin Kurzel’s new film version of Macbeth , starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, has flowed as freely as the blood in 11th-century Scotland. After the film's world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Telegraph critic Robbie Collin wondered if Kurzel's vision is "as good as Shakespeare on film gets” . Kurzel joins a roll call of esteemed film-makers, including Roman Polanski in 1971 and Orson Welles in 1948, who have triumphantly brought Shakespeare's Scottish play to the big screen. Latest triumph: Michael Fassbender in Macbeth Kurzel joins a roll call of esteemed film-makers, including Roman Polanski and Orson Welles, who have triumphantly brought the Scottish play to the big screen One notable version is Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood (1957). The Japanese master relocated the play to feudal Japan where a samurai is told he will be a powerful lord.

Spurred on by an ambitious wife, the swordsman embarks on a slash-and-burn mission of vengeance, fuelled by entitlement, ably capturing the play’s themes of creeping doom, violence and destructive ambition. Power-crazed: Toshiro Mifune (left) plays the Macbeth character in Throne of Blood Credit: The Kobal Collection Shakespeare’s tragedies have long inspired some of the world’s greatest film and stage directors and provided actors with glorious roles. In 2009, the TV comedian Lenny Henry made his dramatic stage debut as the lead in Othello. Back then his theatrical experience did not extend beyond pantomime and a summer season with The Black and White Minstrel Show. No laughing matter: Lenny Henry on stage as Othello Credit: REX Shutterstock But when Henry tackled the hefty and demanding role head on, he rebuffed any doubters with his physicality, stage presence and deft ability with the verse. It also helped cure the actor of a self-declared aversion to the Bard’s work, born from his experience of being forced to learn it at school.

Ralph Fiennes’s directorial debut Coriolanus (2012) matches Kurzel when it comes to a brooding, bloodthirsty take on the tale of a war hero. Gerard Butler and Fiennes deliver jaw-cracking performances of rivalry, self-regard and cruelty in Fiennes' version scripted by the Bafta-nominated screenwriter John Logan. Brooding: Ralph Fiennes in Coriolanus Hamlet has been staged myriad times, with the list of actors taking the lead reading like a Who's Who of acting greats, including David Garrick in the 18th century, Edmund Kean a century later, and titans of the modern era such as Laurence Olivier, Kenneth Branagh and, most recently, Benedict Cumberbatch. Tragic prince: Kenneth Branagh and Kate Winslet in Hamlet Credit: Alamy Branagh has played Hamlet four times on stage, including for directors Derek Jacobi and Adrian Noble, and once on screen in a lively, hugely acclaimed adaptation that he also directed.

For the 1996 film, he cast stars including Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Richard Attenborough, Brian Blessed, Judi Dench and Robin Williams, as well as John Gielgud and Jacobi. The running time of 242 minutes reflected that it included every word of the play, teasing out all the drama of its psychological and political machinations. Swinging Shakespeare: Branagh also directed Love's Labour Lost The multi-hyphenate used a starry cast again to make Love’s Labour’s Lost in 2000. Alessandro Nivola, Alicia Silverstone, Natascha McElhone, Adrian Lester and Emily Mortimer brought the comedy to life by turning this story of a king and his three friends, who pledge to have nothing to do with women for three years before promptly falling in love, into an old-style Hollywood musical with songs by George Gershwin and Cole Porter. Audiences globally fell in love with the visual style and the modern soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996).

Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes played the teenage star-crossed lovers in Luhrmann's vision, which transported the tale to an almost modern Verona beach where rival gangs party and shoot at each other with guns named after swords so as not to change Shakespeare's text. Star-crossed: Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in Romeo+Juliet Credit: Alamy The film's global box office was almost $150 million and put Shakespeare back on the agenda for a fresh generation of sixth-formers. Romeo and Juliet also provided the basis for West Side Story. Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise's 1961 film, based on a book by Arthur Laurents with music by Leonard Bernstein and libretto/lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, remains peerless. Peerless: Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood in West Side Story Credit: Alamy Natalie Wood starred as Maria, the sister of the leader of a Puerto Rican gang, and Richard Beymer played Tony, the leader of a Caucasian gang. The film won 10 Oscars in 1962, after the stage musical debuted on Broadway in 1957 before going on a long run first on Broadway and then in London.

Surprise hit: Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You Gil Junger's 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) used a similar trope by updating The Taming of the Shrew to a US high school. The film was a surprise hit and made stars out of its town young leads: the “shrew”, Julia Stiles, in the role of a determined and forceful girl tricked into a relationship with the school's slacker dude, skilfully played by Heath Ledger in his first big Hollywood role. Many contemporary iterations of Shakespeare owe a huge debt to Olivier. His ability to ensure these 400-year-old plays remain relevant is unrivalled. Patriotic: Laurence Olivier and Renée Asherson in Henry V Credit: Alamy For most, his grand and experimental take on Henry V made toward the end of the Second World War as a patriotic and rousing support call for the British allies stands tall. His clever move between stage and "real-life" settings is triumphant and his own delivery of the St Crispin's Day speech on the eve of the bloody medieval battle of Agincourt has never been bettered on film.

Macbeth is released in UK cinemas on Friday 2 October. Find out more at macbeth-movie.com Competition 28 Apr 2016 News 27 Apr 2016

Question: Who played the title role in the 2015 film Macbeth?
Answer: MICHAEL FASSBENDER